


Ascent to High (School, that is...)

by Lcsaf



Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Earth knew its place in the Cosmos, F/M, Gen, Minor Canonical Character(s), Retelling, Slightly Incestual Undertones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 08:43:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3481754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lcsaf/pseuds/Lcsaf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her whole childhood Jupiter's mother told her she was special. She just didn't realize her mother meant it like this. To make matters worse, she's been transferred to an academy so far from home it isn't even funny, and it only gets weirder from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ascent to High (School, that is...)

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry. Truly. I have no clue where this came from and I can't believe I'm writing a HSAU, but the whole thing just dropped in my brain, begging to be written. This is unBeta-ed so all mistakes are mine. Please forgive me.

   

* * *

 

 

**Chapter 1**

 

    She can feel the eyes on her and hear the whispers as walks through the ridiculously ornate hallway. She hasn't even made it to her first class yet and already, Jupiter hates this school and all it entails. She'd grown up all her life hearing her mother tell her she was special, despite their family being firmly working class. She just didn't think her mother meant it like _this_. Cousaunt  is one of the most elite academies in the Universe, where the Entitled send their offspring. Everyone who attendeds is gorgeous, rich and beyond reproach. Jupiter sticks out like a sore thumb. Despite genetic coding and logistics, that state that she, too, is an Entitled, everyone knows that she's just some dull hick from some backwoods little planet.

    She wants to go home. She wants to be cuddled by her мать, being told she was special because someone simply loved her, instead of actually being special because she was basically created within her mother's womb with the late, great Seraphi Abrasax' DNA. Instead, she's here, all due to some stupid agreement and what amounts to a royal decree from a dead woman she's never met, who is technically partially her mother.

    She keeps her gaze straight ahead, trying to exude confidence while also striving desperately to gawk at the sheer number of different races and species she traverses the hall. Hardly any two people look even similar, though apparently everyone is a bipedal. She has a feeling she's going to fuck things up really soon, somehow. _God_ , she don't want to be here.

    She follows the minor-advocate that's been assigned to assist her for the next few solar turns (she thinks its name is Bob), and blessedly arrives at her first lesson unapproached. She doesn't want to really want to be an outcast, but she doesn't feel like socializing with so many people that she can still hear murmuring to each other about her. If there's one thing in common throughout all the cosmos, it's rich kids' behaviour, something Jupiter is well acquainted with on Earth.

    There is no one in the room beyond Jupiter, her min-adv, and an older man who looks a little more weathered than anyone Jupiter has seen at this place, yet. He's got short dirty blond hair, styled in the front but ruffled in the back, as though he's run his hand over the back often. He wears denim blue teaching robes, sleeves ending over the elbows, and falling open over his simple dark grey ruch and trousers. He sits not at a desk, but half way on top of it, casually reading from a sheave; muttering to himself. He looks up at their approach and Jupiter sees how his face is lined, like someone who's actually known the value of a hard day's work. He looks...honest, and Jupiter feels something in her stomach unclench just a little. He moves fluidly to a stand when Bob stops in front of him.

    "May I present her Grace: Jupiter Jones of Earth, genetic codant of Seraphi of the House of Abrasax," the A.I. introduces.

    The man bows his head deeply. "Your Grace," he intones. "I am Professor Apini--Societal Structures and  Studies." When he raises his head, Jupiter notices his eyes, honey golden and nearly hexagonal.

    "Hi," Jupiter returns after a beat of staring. She catches herself with a little shake of the head. "I mean, hello...I'm new here..."

    Professor Apini solemn visage breaks as the corner of his mouth pulls back into an amused smirk. "Aye," he agrees. "There's been talk of you since you were revealed to us."

    She frowns at that, but lets it go in favour of scanning the room. "I'm not late am I? Or is anyone coming?"

    The professor gives her escort a dismissive nod and the min-adv goes to stand unobtrusively in a corner, seemingly blending into the decor of the room, but always at attention to be ever ready to assist.

    "That depends entirely on who decides to show up, this time," Apini answers her with a slightly resigned expression. "But you aren't late, Your Grace."

    At this information, Jupiter's eyebrows raise. "The entire class is _skipping_ it?" She's not unfamiliar with the concept of playing hooky, or even wanting to do so, but growing the daughter of a former professor, Jupiter has a healthy respect for the value to class. It probably had a large amount to the fear of God Aleksa Bolotnikov put into her daughter on what she would do if she ever caught Jupiter missing her lessons.

    Apini shrugs. "They're Entitled," he says, as if that explains everything. And maybe it does.

    Taking a deep breath, Jupe slides into the closest seat and pulls out materials to take notes. "Well, at least I'm here," she offers. She finds herself matching the small smile the instructor bestows her and settles in as the first lesson begins.

 

 

* * *

 

    Four hours later, Jupiter decides that Professor Apini is the _only_ good thing about Cousaunt. She's had two other instructors that did little more than simper towards her due to her supposed status, and one who droned on without stopping for breath. Literally. But that was because it was an android, as Bob had to point out to her. She's seen several students and their slaves/pets/minions in the hallways, but had only a few join her in class. None of them will seat with, speak to, or even look at her. She tells herself that it doesn't hurt, and that she doesn't want to be bothered by the others on her first sun-cycle, but this feels more like social ostracism.

    She dismisses her minor-advocate and takes a private meal not in one of the lavishly done dining areas, but in a small meditation garden that looks well tended but unused. She doesn't eat much; doesn't have much of an appetite. She's too frustrated and homesick, which is kind of funny, because all Jupiter ever wanted to do was get out of her life on Earth. She wasn't ashamed of her family, she knew the value of hard work. But the dreams her mother had put in her head...stories about the stars, promises about being special. She almost thinks she'd be willing to trade it all back, if she has to deal with this school on a daily basis, almost wishes she'd never heard the truth of her existence.

    Her Majesty Seraphi Abrasax, owner of the Earth had somehow been taken with Maximilian Jones, Jupiter's father. She'd watched as he met and fallen in love with Aleksa Bolotnikov, gotten married and tried for a child, to no success, despite prayer, despite what little Earth science they could afford. It was Seraphi who reached out to them, offering a sure solution, if they were willing to agree to her terms. They had. A contract was signed, and with Maximilian's sperm, Seraphi's egg and Aleksa's womb, Jupiter Jones had come to be nine months later. At least that was the story her мать told her. Jupiter didn't believe her at first, not the least because it was too improbable, and two thirds of the parties supposedly involved in her conception had died before Jupiter herself had been born, therefore unable to corraborate. Besides, an Entitled falling for someone from Earth? Please. It was just a pretty story her mother told her, never mind the fact that Aleksa was usually no-nonsense.

    It wasn't until representatives from the Commonwealth arrived at her door, that Jupiter realized her мать had been telling the truth. Jupiter Jones was genetically an Abrasax, recognized by both the Commonwealth and Seraphi through her will as a member of the great House with all the rights and responsibilities of an Entitled, since she had finally come of age.

    Jupiter still thinks a modular transport would've been a more acceptable and appreciated gift for her birthday. At least she could come and go as she pleased and not be stuck at this snobbish school, galaxies away from home. Besides, a lot of the other students have grand ships stationed in the Academy's orbit...

    Bob shows up with a cleaning bot in tow soon and is ready to escort her to her next lesson.

    Jupiter decides that she's had enough for the cycle, though, and since it's only an escort and an assistant, not a warden, she instructs the A.I. to lead her back to her suite. She's gotten herself into enough of a funk that she doesn't care what her mother would think, being too far to actually do anything about it.

    They wind their way through the labyrinth like path to her rooms, passing several gossiping others.

    "Are there normally this many people in the halls outside of class?" she finally asks her companion.

    "Not at all, Your Grace," comes the cheerful response.

    "So then why are they out here, now? And why do I keep getting the feeling everyone is talking about me?"

    "Because I told them not to interact with you," comes a hoarse voice from behind her.

    Jupiter jumps, startled, and whirls around to see a tall, almost wiry boy with sleek auburn hair and a face full of freckles that somehow don't detract from his haughty aristocratic features. He's looking down his nose at her, but there's something in his eyes like longing that instantly makes the hairs on the back of Jupiter's neck rise. "Who are you?"

    "His Worshipfulness Lord Balem," a nasally voice introduces. It belongs to a shorter man with a wide forehead, beady eyes, a short red nose and a white powdered wig. He looks like a rat splice.  "First Primary of the House of Abrasax."

    Jupiter's gaze goes from the rat dude right back Balem as he moves closer, nearly causing her to take a step back. Hasn't he heard of personal space? He may be her technical genetic step-brother, but come on...

    "You shouldn't be here," the older boy tells her, reaching out for Jupiter's black ponytail. "Looking as lovely as my mother..."

    Okay, creeper alert.

    "You don't deserve to be part of the House of Abrasax; shouldn't even exist."

    His fingers tighten around her locks and Jupiter reacts before he can yank. She steps back, smacking her hand away sharply. "What the hell!? Don't touch me!"

    Rage fills Balem's expression and Jupe's pretty sure he's about to get really violent. "I swear to God, you touch me again, you'll regret it," she warns angrily, backing further away. She'll kick him the crotch if she has to, but she really just wants to get as far from this psycho as possible. "I don't know what your problem is, but stay the hell away from me!" She grabs Bob's arm and hurries down the hall, checking twice over her should to make sure they aren't being followed. She hears Balem scream in frustration as they round a corner, and shivers run down her spine.

    It's official. She really, really despises this place.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Give it to me straight: is it worth continuing? I'm not fishing for compliments, I'm looking for honest critiques.


End file.
